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Blade-server pioneer RLX Technologies Inc. will look to update its image next week when it introduces a number of servers and management applications, as well as an expansion into server and storage-networking products. In addition to new management software, RLX will also for the first time offer storage and server interconnects. RLXs new 600ex Dual Gigabit Ethernet switch is a 20-port integrated switch designed for the companys 600ex blade-server chassis. RLX will also introduce on Oct. 15 its FibreChannel SAN Passthrough for connecting blade servers to external storage, and in November it will debut its FibreChannel SAN Interconnect for its server chassis. These networking devices will hit the market around the same time as RLXs three new ServerBlades, which feature 2.6-GHz, 2.8-GHz, or 3.0-GHz Pentium IV processors.

While IT storage budgets remain tight, results of a recent survey indicate that some managers are starting to see corporate purse strings loosening for IT projects tied to their companys larger disaster recovery planning efforts. When asked about their highest priority storage projects planned for 2004, one quarter of 110 IT managers and decision makers attending the Storage Decisions Conference last week placed disaster recovery and improving their companys backup and archival systems at the top of their to-do lists for next year. As for the backup or recovery technology medium of choice, 86.4 percent of survey respondents said they still use tape for primary backup purposes, despite industry hype around disk replacing tape. Another 27 percent said they use tape just for off-site archiving.

Hewlett-Packard wants to partner more with solution providers on services opportunities through HP Professional Services, executives said. The company plans to add at least four services SKUs that it will look to solution providers for help delivering: back-up implementation for data protector; business copy implementation services, data replication (continuous access) and OpenView Storage Area Manager implementation service.